James T. Butts, Jr. was sworn in as Inglewood’s 12th Mayor on February 1, 2011, bringing more than five decades of experience in public safety and municipal government. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from California State University and a Master of Business Administration from California Polytechnic University.Mayor Butts served 19 years with the Inglewood Police Department, rising to Deputy Chief; 15 years as Chief of Police for the City of Santa Monica; and five years as Assistant General Manager for Los Angeles World Airports, overseeing Public Safety and Counterterrorism. During his tenure, LAX achieved the nation’s #1 TSA security ranking in 2009. He also served 11 years on the Los Angeles Metro Board of Directors, including as Chairman.As Mayor, Butts has led a significant period of economic and fiscal transformation in Inglewood. In 2011, he negotiated with Madison Square Garden to renovate the Forum, which became California’s #1 concert venue in 2016. He also secured more than $100 million in grant funding to restore Inglewood’s federally defunded Residential Sound Insulation Program, now ranked #1 in the nation.Under his leadership, Inglewood’s bond rating has reached AA+, its reserve fund exceeds 100% of its annual operating fund, and unemployment declined from 17.5% in 2011 to 4.7% by 2022.Mayor Butts was re-elected in 2014, 2018 and 2022 and, from 2016 through 2025, was named among Los Angeles County’s 500 most influential leaders by the *Los Angeles Business Journal*.